Many people in Giao An and Giao Thien communes (Lang Chanh district, Thanh Hoa province) said that for many years they have had to endure difficulty traveling because the Ben Lam suspension bridge has seriously degraded and rotted.
According to local people, the bridge is about 100m long, more than 2m wide, and was built 16 years ago. The bridge is designed with cable-stayed suspension, an iron frame, and a wooden deck. Now, the wooden deck has rotted, the steel wire system is rusty, and when crossing the bridge, there is a feeling of shaking and insecurity.
Mr. Pham Van Luong (59 years old, residing in Lang Chanh town) said that he himself has often crossed this bridge for many years. In previous years, the bridge was quite sturdy, however, in recent years, every time he crossed the bridge, he felt scared.
“Every time I cross the bridge, I have to get off and push my bike to be safe, because if I go, I feel the shaking. In addition, the bridge deck system is made of wood, some are curved, some are broken, some have fallen off, so I'm very scared,” said Mr. Luong.
According to many people in Giao An commune, due to the severe deterioration of the bridge, at meetings and meetings with local voters, people have repeatedly petitioned the relevant authorities. In 2022, the Lang Chanh District People's Committee has a plan to invest about 1 billion VND for repairs, but to date, the repairs have not been carried out, while the bridge is deteriorating every day.
In fact, as of mid-November 2024, the repair of the above bridge has not been carried out, causing difficulties for vehicles and people traveling across the bridge.
According to the representative of the People's Committee of Giao An commune, Lang Chanh district, Ben Lam suspension bridge has been seriously degraded for many years, making it difficult for people, especially students, to travel. Faced with this situation, the locality has also made recommendations to the district, and the district has made recommendations to the province to find solutions to ensure safety for the people.
Mr. Ha Van Viet - Head of the Economic Infrastructure Department of Lang Chanh district said that in response to the current situation of the Ben Lam suspension bridge being degraded, the People's Committee of Thanh Hoa province has a plan to invest in replacing it with a rigid bridge.
“While waiting for the new bridge to be built, we will repair and maintain the cable system, suspension bars, replace the wooden deck boards and install warning signs to ensure greater safety for people when crossing the bridge,” Mr. Viet informed.
